Dr. Lev Horodyskyj: Science Education Gets a Virtual Makeover

by Emily Harari You’re driving and you pull up behind a car at a red light. The light switches to green, but the car sits unmoved. What do you do? Instinctively, you reach for the horn, and, after a quick blaring of sound, the car in front of you moves. You’ve just conducted a scientific experiment. You observed the car not moving, but didn’t know why, so you assumed the driver ahead of you wasn’t paying attention to the road. […]

Photo of a network over the Earth in space

July 14, 2020 Leave a comment

Just an ‘Earth Thing’

by Emily Harari When I think of Earth, the first thing that comes to mind is life. When I was an undergraduate student studying biology, I saw our planet as an oasis in the desert of our galaxy, where extreme conditions made life seemingly impossible. As I graduated from university, however, I realized that life maybe isn’t just an ‘Earth thing.’ Astrobiology is a field of study that brings together the studies of life on Earth with the possibility for […]

November 20, 2017

Virtual Outreach with New Horizon Elementary School

BMSIS Young Scientist Shaelyn Silverman led an outreach event at New Horizon Elementary School in Irvine, California. On September 29th, 2017 I had the privilege of leading a virtual outreach event for a 3rd grade class of New Horizon Elementary School, located in Irvine, CA. Through FaceTime I gave the students a tour of the Exobiology branch at NASA Ames and showed them the exciting microbial mats in the Microbial Ecology & Biogeochemistry Research Laboratory where I work. We discussed […]

February 10, 2017

How Should Creationism and Evolution Be Taught in Public Schools?

Joshua Kreisel shares his ethics & society case study, which he completed as part of our Young Scientist Program. The topics of evolution, creationism, and their place in the public school curriculum have been one of contentious debate for decades. There are many contesting viewpoints on this issue, ranging from teaching both theories on the origins of life, neither of them, or just one. To address all of these arguments would be beyond the scope of this paper. Instead, the case […]

December 9, 2016

Star Wars Outreach at Cal Academy

Science fiction is often a great source of inspiration for scientists and for the general public. When an out-of-this world science fiction themed event happens in a real-world science museum, that means a must-go event for humans, robots, androids, etc. On Dec 1, 2016, the California Academy of Sciences held its weekly NightLife event with the theme Star Wars, referencing the upcoming new movie of the saga. Our BMSIS Research Scientist, Dr. Ivan Glaucio Paulino Lima was invited to do […]

July 12, 2016

Discussing Astronaut Radiation Health with Engineers

BMSIS Young Scientist Sneha Shirsat visited the College of Engineering in Pune, India (COEP) Astronomy Club to discuss the radiation risks astronauts face on long journeys. Sneha’s engagement was part of her Communications requirements for the BMSIS Young Scientist Program. BMSIS is continuously committed to engaging the public in the wonders of Space Exploration and the Earth System. Our Young Scientist Program continues this tradition by engaging local communities around the world. Read Sneha’s impressions below: As young scientist program […]

June 16, 2016

Blue Marble Space Featured in Inc. Magazine

Inc. magazine recently featured an interview with Sanjoy Som about Blue Marble Space in an article titled “How Space Travel Will Save the World (And the People Living on It).” A tall order indeed, but we are grateful for the support we continually receive from other scientists, educators, and journalists who share our vision of using space exploration to improve our home on Earth. [read the article at Inc.]

April 19, 2016

Space Biology Outreach

BMSIS Young Scientist Mohit Nalavadi visited a high school in San Jose, California for a space biology outreach event. Mohit’s engagement was part of his Communications requirements for the BMSIS Young Scientist Program. BMSIS is continuously committed to engaging the public in the wonders of Space Exploration and the Earth System. Our Young Scientist Program continues this tradition by engaging local communities around the world. Read Mohit’s impressions below: On Thursday April 7th and 15th I went to Alpha […]

January 15, 2016

Public Outreach in Brazil

Our BMSIS Scientist Dr. Ivan Glaucio Paulino Lima recently traveled to Brazil and spent 3 weeks engaged in public outreach activities. He talked about his role as microbiologist in the space mission Eu:CROPIS, a partnership between NASA and the German Space Agency, DLR., as well as the Space Settlement Design Contest, co-operated by NASA Ames Research Center, San Jose State University, and the National Space Society (NSS) for all students up to 12th grade (18 years old) from anywhere in […]

January 14, 2016

Outreach at the Ethiopian Community Center

NASA/BMSIS Young Scientist Program participant Mastewal Abate engaged 10 high school students and 3 college students at the San Francisco Ethiopian Community Center. Mastewal’s engagement was part of her Communications requirements for the NASA/BMSIS Young Scientist Program. BMSIS is continuously committed to engaging the public in the wonders of Space Exploration and the Earth System. The NASA/BMSIS Young Scientist Program in Space Biosciences at NASA Ames continues this tradition by engaging the local community in the vicinity of NASA’s Silicon […]

1 2 »